Despair

About

Despair is a single player action adventure game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by AGC and was released on May 12, 2015. It received negative reviews from players.

"Despair" is a horror action indie game where players explore subway tunnels and catacombs to discover the fate of missing passengers. Armed only with a flashlight and notes left behind, players must uncover the truth in a bug-ridden, poorly optimized game that still manages to deliver a chilling atmosphere. The ultimate goal? Understanding the terror that unfolded within the subway system.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

34%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,043 reviews

atmosphere19 positive mentions

story29 negative mentions

The game has a gripping story that immerses players in a tense atmosphere.
It provides a unique experience of genuine despair, enhancing the horror elements.
The game is very cheap, making it accessible for players looking for a low-cost horror experience.

The game suffers from poor graphics and performance issues, making it visually unappealing.
Gameplay is slow and tedious, with a lack of direction and confusing level design.
There are numerous bugs and glitches, including unskippable cutscenes and issues with the flashlight mechanics.

story
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
54%
29%
The reviews for the game's story reveal a stark divide in opinions, with many players criticizing it for being virtually nonexistent, poorly executed, or confusing. While some mention a gripping atmosphere or intriguing mechanics, the overwhelming sentiment is that the narrative lacks depth, coherence, and engagement, often described as vague or minimal. Overall, the story is seen as a significant weakness, detracting from the overall experience of the game.
- “Gripping story, stunning atmosphere, and thrilling challenges make every moment unforgettable.”
- “This game is dark and the story of it is deep and a bit scary. It tells a story of somebody and something; I really have no idea what the story wants to tell the player, but it's good.”
- “Wonderful graphics, amazing story, and stunning game mechanics.”
- “The game looks awful and you move horribly slow, and the story was a whole total of 5 sentences.”
- “The overall story lacks any depth.”
- “There is no point in the game where I even partially understood the storyline, and the only thing hinting at possible lore in the game is very badly made notes sewn across the map.”
graphics
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
44%
34%
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing them as subpar, outdated, and reminiscent of early console titles. Common complaints include poor optimization, choppy performance, and visual glitches that detract from the overall experience. While a few users noted decent textures or atmospheric elements, the consensus is that the graphics significantly hinder the game's appeal.
- “Apparently the graphics are so godlike that my feeble technology that can handle games like Elder Scrolls Online, Starcraft 2, Witcher 3, and so on that despair is just beyond those in visual beauty and power.”
- “This is the game that will blow up your mind with clever puzzle design and stunning visuals.”
- “The graphics are stunning and amazing.”
- “The graphics are so poor that I felt slightly nauseous at times; one could at least have cut despair some slack if there was an interesting story and a decent atmosphere, but sadly there's no redeeming qualities whatsoever.”
- “The graphics are terrible and the gameplay consists of walking around and solving 'puzzles' which don't even deserve this term.”
- “Graphically, it looks like a PS1 game that got into a horrendous car accident and is now irreversibly disfigured.”
gameplay
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
63%
26%
The gameplay of this game is widely criticized for being extremely short, often lasting only 15 to 30 minutes, and is described as tedious and poorly executed, featuring broken mechanics and a lack of engaging content. Players report a frustrating experience characterized by excessive walking, minimal direction, and clunky controls, with many noting that the game feels like a low-quality asset flip. Overall, the gameplay fails to deliver a satisfying experience, leaving players feeling disappointed and unfulfilled.
- “Gameplay is good and graphics are nice.”
- “The upsides are the interesting flashlight mechanics and the uncanny atmosphere.”
- “Mechanically it's as simple as games come; you press E to pick up items, you press B to put a new battery in your flashlight, you press Shift to run (there's a blue stamina bar on the lower part of the screen) and you solve some puzzles.”
- “The story and gameplay stretches as far as 30 minutes; the quality is somewhat reminiscent of an early 2000s game. Really just avoid this altogether.”
- “Ahh despair, I got this game back when it was free and I can honestly say it was one of the worst investments I've made in just downloading and playing the game. The graphics are poor, the gameplay is poor, just really boring, and the glitching through floors and walls really put me off. I got quite far through the game and got stuck under the floor, which I had to start all the way again and walk at a snail's pace. Glad I didn't actually purchase this; one of the worst horrors I've played.”
- “The gameplay consists of excessive walking, pointless puzzles, amazing level design, over-the-top quick time events, and all-around fantastically tedious gameplay.”
atmosphere
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
54%
6%
The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the gripping story and effective sound design that create tension, while others criticize the lack of genuine horror elements and poor graphics that detract from immersion. Many note that while certain areas exhibit a decent atmosphere, the overall experience often feels flat or underwhelming, with some describing it as more of a walking simulator than a horror game. Overall, the game's ability to evoke a chilling environment is inconsistent, with some moments standing out amidst a backdrop of missed opportunities for suspense and engagement.
- “Gripping story, stunning atmosphere, and thrilling challenges make every moment unforgettable.”
- “Liked it a lot, good atmosphere and environments, makes you really feel a pressure not to mess up since the flashlight can die, nice real feeling of being lost in places.”
- “The game starts out dark and moody, with the appropriate atmosphere and mystery needed to propel a decent survival horror game.”
- “While there was some thought put into the atmosphere of walking around an abandoned subway, the cheap jumpscare sounds and nonsensical notes scattered around don't make this game any scarier than an ordinary walking simulator.”
- “Despair plays more like a walking simulator without the atmosphere than anything else.”
- “For a horror game, I'm amazed that they forgot to even put in a soundtrack or anything of that sort to build some kind of suspense or atmosphere.”
optimization
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
35%
52%
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates (often capped at 30fps or lower) and frequent crashes when adjusting graphics settings. While some users managed to run the game smoothly on lower settings, the overall consensus is that it is poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience marred by glitches and inadequate graphical options.
- “Don't let the other reviews fool you; they might complain about it being choppy and garbage, but if you put it on the lowest settings, it runs smoothly and looks the same.”
- “I didn't have any of the performance problems that some reported (maybe they've been fixed?).”
- “If it was more polished and better optimized, I would probably enjoy playing it.”
- “I can run Doom (the new one) on here, but this game is so horribly optimized that it can't start properly.”
- “The game is poorly optimized and locked at 30fps and can't get any higher than 1080p resolution.”
- “The performance of the game was terrible considering the visuals were so poorly done.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of significant bugs, glitches, and performance issues that hinder gameplay, such as freezing controls and unresponsive mechanics. While some players find it somewhat playable, the overall experience is marred by a lack of polish and frequent technical problems, making it frustrating and often unplayable.
- “Notable glitches include not being able to pick up items, the cliché paper notes you pick up not disappearing from the screen, rendering the game unplayable, controls locking up when you die, and the game failing to load the ending!”
- “This is the most generic horror game you can imagine; the only thing that sets it apart is the rampant glitches, horrible performance, and truly astounding incompetence in its design.”
- “Really laggy glitches everywhere and sometimes it doesn't load some crucial things.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users noting its absence or lack of impact. While some found the intro music somewhat pleasant, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from a significant lack of atmospheric sound, which detracts from the experience, especially for a horror title. Users have described the music as either too loud, non-existent, or merely "okay," leading to a sense of emptiness throughout the gameplay.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “Life is a song - sing it.”
- “The only music present is during the bootup cutscene and main menu.”
- “No music exists, which would explain the emptiness of the game.”
- “There's no music to speak of whatsoever.”
- “For a horror game, I'm amazed that they forgot to even put in a soundtrack or anything of that sort to build some kind of suspense or atmosphere.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this game is largely derived from its poor quality, with many players finding it amusingly bad rather than genuinely entertaining. While some appreciate the unintentional comedy, such as absurd menu options and ridiculous character animations, others feel the game is simply boring and lacks any redeeming comedic value. Overall, the humor is hit-or-miss, with some players enjoying the laughs at its expense while others find it frustratingly unenjoyable.
- “My friend thought it was funny that he got it for $0.09, and gifted it to me.”
- “But I gotta say, I found it hilarious when in the main menu, instead of saying 'new game' or 'play', it said 'despair'... foreshadowing, eh?”
- “There's a building tension, but the moment there is a 'scare', you'll burst out laughing because a dead-faced Michael Jackson moonwalks at you... seriously, this game is terrible.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight that the game is primarily a "farming simulator" focused on grinding for cards, often leading to tedious and repetitive gameplay. Players express frustration with excessive walking and pointless puzzles, suggesting that the grinding aspect detracts from the overall experience, despite some acknowledging the game's strong story and design elements.
- “So stuff it, I'm not playing through all that tedious, boring crap again just for a let's play video.”
- “I know it says that I've played almost 10 hours, but I was just farming for cards, just don't bother.”
- “This game is jam-packed with excessive walking, pointless puzzles, amazing level design, over-the-top quicktime events, and all around fantastically tedious gameplay.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that there is no incentive to play again and describing the "to be continued" ending as unsatisfying.
- “There is no replay value whatsoever.”
- “No replayability at all, and the 'to be continued' ending feels quite cheap.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is criticized as exploitative, with users likening it to a cash grab amidst a sea of low-quality early access titles on Steam.
- “This game feels like a cash grab, with monetization tactics that overshadow the actual gameplay.”
- “The monetization system is frustrating and makes it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “It seems like the developers are more focused on making money than creating a quality gaming experience.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that "Despair" elicits a profound emotional response, often feeling a mix of intense feelings ranging from joy to sorrow within a very short playtime. Many highlight its ability to evoke a wide emotional spectrum, making it one of the most impactful games they've experienced in recent years.
- “Despair made me feel more good and more bad than any other game I’ve played in the last several years.”
- “I played Despair for just 8 minutes, and during that time I experienced the whole emotional scale.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate a lack of character development, with players feeling disconnected from the main character due to insufficient backstory and minimal growth throughout the game.
- “I cannot relate to the main character, as there is no backstory given or any character development throughout the whole game.”